Trying to return your smile
by lifes-better-in-the-underworld
Summary: Written over a headcanon of mine. A crying Leo and a smiling Nico? A summoned ghost? / with slight hints of Valdangelo / Leico ...


**A/N: **okay, so, i maybe kinda "ignored" the main story... just..oh, well... "played"with the characters... i haven't writed anything in a while and i couldn't get Nico di Angelo (that cute little piece of perfection) outta my head, so yes... thats what you get ... and after I re-read _The Lost Hero _in English .. so, yes, I got inspirated :D ... maybe my English is no more as good as it used to be(and it never was perfect :D) and i may have (a lot of) mistakes ... oh, well ... just reak, okay? :D hope you like it, anyway ... may continue it later, I dunno.. I thought of it as a one-shot, but who knows? :D time will show..

* * *

Nico went to the lake, as he always did when he wanted to think, and he saw the last thing he ever expected to see: on the sand was sitting Leo, hugged his legs to his chest, crying. Nico decided to go to him and see what has happened, to make the always-grinning demigod crying. The son of Hades quietly made his way to Leo and asked, "Is something wrong, Valdez?"

Leo immediaetely stopped crying and turned his head towards Nico, "Nah, everything's just perfect." The fire-user tried to smile, but Nico could see, that the smile was forced. The dark demigod sat next to Leo, "Come on, you can tell me what's borhering you."

Leo forced a smile once again, "You seem to speak alot tonight, di Angelo."  
Nico continued to look at the other boy, without saying anything.  
"Okay.. I just.. It's about Mom.." Leo turned his gaze to the water. Nico kept silent and waited for Leo to continue. "When we were all by Percy's mom today.. He looked so happy.. and it reminded me about.. my childhood and.. the time.. my mother used to be.." here he stopped speaking and his eyes filled with tears again.  
Nico knew this feeling really well. He could imagine what Leo was going trough, because he had went trough it himself. The dark demigod decided to help the other by giving him the word, "Alive?"  
Leo closed his eyes, "Yes."  
And then Nico did the less expected thing: he put his arm around Leo's shoulders. And the other didn't pull away, which surprised Nico a little. Then he continued talking, trying to comfort the other, "My mother died too long ago, when I was young, about 7 years old. Good thing I had Bianca by my side, or I don't know what would've happened. It was hard, yes, for both of us, but we got trough it. I believe you could do it, too.."  
"Wait, wasn't Bianca your older sister?"  
It took Nico a while to answer, "Yes."  
Leo looked at Nico, "And then? What happened to her? Why isn't she here with you?"  
Nico looked at Leo, "When I was 12, Percy and Annabeth got me and Bianca out of Lotus Casino, where our father hat put us to keep us away from the other gods.."  
"So, she was also a demigod and a daughter of Hades?"  
"Yes. Can I continue? So, when Percy and Annabeth got us out, they wanted to bring us here safely, without any accidents. But, unfortunally, we were attacked by too many monsters on our way here. Then we met the Hunters of Artemis and Bianca joined them."  
"Like Jason's sister?"  
"Yes. But then we got attacked by a really huge monster. Percy, Annabeth and Bianca fought. But then.. Annabeth disappeared and Percy got distracted. Bianca had to sacrifice hr life to protect us." Nico stopped talking and looked at the water.  
It took Leo a while to overthink everything the other demigod had said. "So, your sister died, too?"  
Nico nodded.  
"Man, you're amazing, then!"  
Nico looked at Leo, like he was a madman.  
"I mean, if it was me, I would've killed myself till now. I could've not live trough two of my closest people dead."  
After that they stayed silent for a few minutes. Then Nico had an idea. He smiled, "Do you want to talk to your mom?"  
Leo looked at him confused, "I just told you, that my mother is dead. What are you talking about? Are you secretly insane?"  
Nico chuckled, "No, but I, as a son of Hades, can summon the dead."  
"Oh, you're talking about that.."  
"I'm asking you again, do you want to.."  
"Yes, I.. need to tell her so much.."  
"Okay. The only thing you need to do is to tell me where is your mother buried."  
"At the Houston Cemetery."  
Nico got up and offered Leo a hand, "Coming?"  
"Dude, it's across the country. How are we going to get there?"  
Nico smiled, "Just trust me, Leo."  
That was the first actuall time, when Nico had called Leo by his name. So the fire-user decided to trust the pale demigod. He cought Nico's hand and got up, "So, how are we going to get there?"  
"Just follow me."  
Nico rose his hand and on the rock appeared a shadow.  
"We're not.. how you called it?.. Shadow-traveling? Right?"  
"Yes. We are." Nico grabbed Leo's hand and they went trough the shadow..

When Leo oppened his eyes, they were standing at the middle of the Cemetery. Right before him was his mother's gravestone. He felt like he was going to cry. Then he felt a cold hand on his shoulder. Nico's hand.  
"After I summon her ghost, I will leave you two alone, so you can talk to her.."  
"No. Please, don't. I want.. I need you to stay, in case I get too sensitive."  
Nico stared at his fellow demigod for a few moments, but then nodded. He turned to the gravestone and closed his eyes. He started summoning the ghost.  
Soon he was done and stepped aside, leaving Leo standing there, wordless.  
"Mom?"  
Esperanza looked at her son,  
"Mijo, is that really you?"  
Leo tried to hug his mother, but he went right trough her, like there was nothing. "Sorry, I.."  
"Don't worry, mijo, it's okay."  
"I.. wanted to speak with you.. so.." He told her about all he's been trough from the year she'd died. She stayed there, not moving, and listened to her son. He told her about all his quests and friends. And then it was Nico's turn.  
"And that here is Nico di Angelo - son of Hades and the dude, who summoned you. He's an amazing person. He's always there, right in time, like he knows what when is supposed to happen. And you must see him fighting. He can summon a whole army of skeletton warriors and control them.."  
"Leo, you're giving me too much credits. Pleased to meet you, Mrs Valdez. Leo told me a lot about you."  
"Pleased to meet you, too, Nico. From what I'm hearing, it seems like Leo has nice friends, who are taking care of him, is that right?"  
"Yes. And without Leo, they all could be dead. He'd saved them not once."  
"Is that true. mijo?"  
"Well, yes, but.."  
"I'm so proud of you, my dearest. I wish I was able to be by your side, but it seems you're good by yourself. And that's what your father had told me. He told me, that once you grow up, you'll be strong enough to deal with everything on your own."  
"I'm not on my own, mom. I have my friends." Leo turned to Nico and smiled to him. Nico smiled back.  
"Um, I'm sorry to ruin this, but I don't think I can hold much longer."  
"No, it's okay. I'm glad I could talk to you, mijo."  
"Me too, mom. Dad misses you, too."  
"i miss you both, mijo."  
Then her ghost disappeared. Leo looked at Nico, "Thanks, dude."  
Nico smiled at him, "It's time to go back at the Camp."  
"No, wait. Just.. wait a little bit longer." Leo went back to the gravestone. He put his hand on top of it and stayed silent for a while. Then he turned to Nico, smiling, "Let's go now."  
They went back trough the shadow..

Back at the Camp, Leo decided to walk Nico to his cabin. In front of the Hades Cabin, Nico turned to Leo, "Glad I made you feel better."  
And for Nico's surprise, Leo hugged him, "Thanks alot, Nico"  
After that Leo walked to his own cabin, now smiling..


End file.
